Trade Deadline - Avon Gale Page 0,46

only been in love with two people in his life, and he’d been married to one of them for ten years. The other, he might be in love with again very soon.

Once Daniel was in, he was really in.

“So how are things going?” Tristan prompted when Daniel didn’t speak right away. “Are things on the Thunder finally improving?”

Daniel nodded. “I basically had to have a come-to-Jesus moment with the captain, Texier, and he admitted he’s been frustrated and feeling like a failure. It’s understandable, but...it was destroying the team. He’s been better the last couple of weeks. We’re going to do some team-building stuff.”

“This sounds like it could be the plot to a Mighty Ducks movie,” Morley joked. “Are you going to start practicing the Flying V, too?”

“That’s step two in Operation: Bring Back the Thunder.”

Morley guffawed. “Nah, but seriously, bro, I’m glad things are better. You had me worried earlier this season. Don’t want you retiring because you got stuck with a bunch of assholes.”

“Speaking of bringing back the thunder,” Army said, “you mentioned having some news earlier, so, spill, Bellzie. Who’s riding your lightning?”

“Would you please stop with all these puns?” Ryu said, exasperated. “I’m losing my appetite.”

“More pizza for me,” Emmitt singsonged.

Ryu’s only response was to roll his eyes. Army grinned at him and leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. He whispered something Daniel didn’t catch, and Ryu’s mouth crooked up at the corner.

“No, but for real,” Emmitt said, cajoling and charming. “Give us the deets, Bellzie.”

Daniel couldn’t resist returning his smile. “Okay, okay. The deets are that I’ve met someone. Well...met him again.”

“Him?” Tristan said, sitting upright. “Oh my God, it’s the dolphin guy, isn’t it?”

“Dolphins?” Morley’s brows flew up toward his hairline. “Does he wear a costume? Bellzie, I didn’t know you were into furries.”

“I—that’s not—” Daniel shook his head, laughing. “Look, nothing against furries, but no, that’s not my thing. He works with dolphins. He’s a marine biologist.”

Tristan already had his phone out. “This is him,” he said, trying to hand the phone off to Morley. “Micah, right?”

Army intercepted and let out a low whistle as he peered down at the screen. “Nice job, Bellzie.”

“Let me see,” Morley said, snatching the phone from his hands. “Very nice. Looks friendly. Great smile.” He handed the phone back to Tristan and shot Daniel a shit-eating grin. “Oh yeah, the guy is cute, too.”

Daniel shook his head again, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Morley could be a bit over the top sometimes, but Daniel had missed even the good-natured ribbing with how frigid the Thunder’s locker room had been until recently.

“You met him again, you said?” Ryu took a long pull from his beer bottle.

“Yeah. We were friends when we were kids. First crush, first kiss. That whole thing.”

“That’s adorable.” Of course Tristan would be the one to say so. “I was wondering if anything was going on when you started mentioning him all the time.”

“It’s still really new,” Daniel said. “Like, only a week old kind of new, and we’re taking things slow, but...he’s met Tabby and the kids. They all like him.”

Tristan tucked his phone into his pocket and settled back against Sebastian’s side. “All great things. Sometimes slow is good.”

“Slow can be very good,” Sebastian said, innocent for all intents and purposes, but Tristan shot him a look, and the glint in Seb’s eye made Daniel laugh again.

“Agreed.” Daniel saluted him with his bottle. “But yeah, I’m excited. About Micah and about making progress with the Thunder and seeing you guys. Things are finally turning around, I think.”

The buzzer rang, interrupting the conversation, and Daniel’s attention turned inward while Sebastian went to pay for their dinner.

He thought of Tabby, of his kids, of Micah and their new relationship.

Life might not be perfect, but there were positives. His children were happy; he’d started putting roots down in Florida again. And even if he wasn’t feeling totally satisfied with his hockey career at the moment, his place on the Thunder was feeling slightly less uncertain.

All he could do was keep pushing forward, one step at a time.

Chapter Fourteen

The thing about dating a professional athlete meant that even though Micah had confessed his feelings and they’d decided to date, the first date itself didn’t happen immediately. After their dinner at Micah’s and the intense make-out session in his kitchen, Daniel had to leave for a hockey trip to Atlanta to play his old team. Micah watched the